Origins: Who sang this specific version of Cocaine

Subject: Origins: Who sang this specific version of Cocaine
From: GUEST,Rawhide
Date: 01 Nov 12 - 02:54 PM

Hi, I am searching for a specific version of a song which I haven't heard in many years and I would like to know who sang it. It could very likely be a version of Cocaine Blues but I haven't found the right one. It contains the following lines(if I remember correctly): "..see that girl from Birmingham, she smokes a deal of opium; see that girl from Alabama she smokes a deal of marijuana... cocaine, cocaine all around my brain" It as a male singer and I think he was playing an acoustic guitar..? I'd be grateful for any ideas.

Subject: RE: Origins: Who sang this specific version of Cocain
From: Jim McLean
Date: 01 Nov 12 - 03:05 PM

Josh MacRae used to sing this song in the late 50s, Luke Jordon's song I believe.

Subject: RE: Origins: Who sang this specific version of Cocain
From: GUEST,999
Date: 01 Nov 12 - 03:06 PM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cocaine_Blues

Rawhide, have you given this Wiki write up a read?

I'm finding nothing with Mr Google.

Subject: RE: Origins: Who sang this specific version of Cocain
From: GUEST,Rawhide
Date: 01 Nov 12 - 03:58 PM

Thank you Jim McLean and Guest999! I will immediately look these up!
My father used to play this song on his reel to reel recorder in the 70s ;)maybe it can still be found.

Subject: RE: Origins: Who sang this specific version of Cocain
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 02 Nov 12 - 04:03 AM

I don't remember ever hearing those verses to Cocaine, so that rules out Dave van Ronk, Bob Dylan, Steffan Grossman, Wizz Jones for a start, though if your father had it on reel-to-reel it could very well be a live version which never made it to record.

Subject: RE: Origins: Who sang this specific version of Cocaine
From: GUEST
Date: 02 Nov 12 - 11:39 AM

Hi Dave,
thank you for your answer; well it could be but it sounded "studio-like" if I remember correctly and it is qutie a "brutal" text so it ought to be from the 60's or 70's, and not one of them really old versions. It also contains lines like "See that girl, dressed in black, she's got my needles and I want them back, cocaine,...."
and the man singing sounded rather young, not an old man I mean ;)

Subject: RE: Origins: Who sang this specific version of Cocaine
From: Weasel
Date: 03 Nov 12 - 07:43 AM

Sounds like the Jackson Browne song to me:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJQWr3Brdk8

Cheers,

Weasel

Subject: RE: Origins: Who sang this specific version of Cocaine
From: Weasel
Date: 03 Nov 12 - 07:46 AM

A better version (in my opnion)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spWYYr9k9vY

Cheers,

Weasel

Subject: RE: Origins: Who sang this specific version of Cocaine
From: Weasel
Date: 03 Nov 12 - 08:09 AM

Sorry, just checked the lyrics - not the same.

(Never mind, I meant well)

Weasel.

Subject: RE: Origins: Who sang this specific version of Cocaine
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Nov 12 - 03:23 PM

Dear Weasel,
sorry for not checking this thread (been out hunting all weekend) great suggestions and lovely versions of a nice song, but not the one I'm looking for, unfortunately. If I ever find out who it is who sings it I'll let y'all know ;) My father once claimed it was Donovan, but that doesn't make any sense to me...

Subject: RE: Origins: Who sang this specific version of Cocaine
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 04 Nov 12 - 04:29 PM

From my experience, most singers had verses which they might sing in public, or at least private, but wouldn't normally consider recording. In most cases, this was because they considered them too bawdy, but this version, being mainly drug-related, would make sense as Donovan of that period.

Subject: RE: Origins: Who sang this specific version of Cocaine
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Nov 12 - 04:41 PM

Ok, thank you,and this is definitely true if one thinks about e.g. Dylan.. I will have to listen to him a bit more then, because I'm pretty sure I'd recognize his voice...

Subject: RE: Origins: Who sang this specific version of Cocaine
From: GUEST
Date: 05 Nov 12 - 07:34 AM

J J Cale is the name that springs to my mind. I remember the song blasting out when I was at uni (many years ago)